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VBT ANNOUNCES CULINARY VACATION IN PUGLIA
DEC. 5, 2011 – Get to know Puglia through its local cuisine. VBT Bicycling and Walking
Vacations announces a culinary vacation in Puglia, continuing a tradition of providing
discovery-filled vacations at unsurpassed value. Travelers will have the opportunity to visit
family-run food shops, take in special cooking classes, indulge in home-cooked meals,
and complement those highlights with a breadth of local wine and other beverages.
VBT’s 2012 culinary vacation draws on the tenants of the local food movement and follows
the success of their very popular culinary vacations in 2011. The tour will be led by a local
expert Trip Leader who will provide insider tips, unique discovery opportunities and a
perspective that only someone from the region can provide.
On the April 9, 2012, culinary vacation to “Puglia: Italy’s Undiscovered Coast,” travelers
will experience the freshest seafood and local, wild vegetables while cycling along Italy’s
Adriatic Coast. The trip will include exploration of olive groves, samplings of local wines,
and a chance to throw a few pizzas with a master pizzaiolo.
The tour has limited space, only 14-20 travelers.
Founded in 1971 by a Middlebury College professor, VBT Bicycling and Walking
Vacations is celebrating its 40th Anniversary this year. The company offers 39 deluxe,
small group bicycling and walking tours in 26 countries worldwide, including destinations in
Europe, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Vietnam, Peru, Argentina and the U.S.A. Each trip
includes all accommodations, many meals, two expert local Trip Leaders, unique
sightseeing and cultural activities, and full vehicle support. Unlike other companies, VBT
also includes international airfare and air fuel surcharges in its trip cost.
Contact VBT at www.vbt.com.
NEW PRESIDENT FOR BRINDISI HOTEL FEDERATION
DEC. 4 – BRINDISI, ITALY – A veteran tourism and hotel industry executive has been
elected president of Federalberghi Brindisi, the Brindisi hotel federation. He is Pierangelo
Argentieri, director of Tenuta Moreno, a resort property in Mesagne, and the Palazzo
Virgilio Hotel, the former Hotel Majestic on Corso Umberto I near the Brindisi train station.
Argentieri previously was vice president of the hotel association.
Argentieri told La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno that he is aware of “the economic difficulties
that our industry is experiencing because of the instability and then national and
international responsibilities to which we encounter…We must be able to respond as fast
and practical needs of colleagues and the industry and immediately open a discussion
table with all the institutional actors involved in the various institutions involved and of
tourism.”
COMING SOON: “PUGLIA EVENTS”
APRIL 23 – BARI, ITALY – “Puglia Events,” a website designed to enhance the region’s
visibility among residents and visitors alike and promote events throughout Puglia, has
debuted in the Italian language and soon will be available in English. The newspaper La
Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno (www.lagazzettadelmezzogiorno.it) reports that the portal (www.
pugliaevents.it) will focus attention on cultural productions and performances that take
place in Puglia and showcases events and activities in cinema, music, theater, dance,
business and trade shows, sports and the environment, food and wine, tradition,
entertainment, art and culture. Created with international visitors in mind, it will feature a
platform that is accessible via the web and mobile devices.
The President of the Region of Puglia, Nichi Vendola, told the newspaper, “Puglia Events
is yet another demonstration of how to build and develop an integrated system capable of
giving a structure and network projects. We have accomplished a historic transition:
before 2005, Puglia was almost invisible in the eyes of the world, but today we came from
pre-history where we were. We are now competitive with the most advanced systems in
Europe.”
Puglia Events will integrate with the travel portal Viaggiareinpuglia.it for mapping Puglia
tourist attractions and cultural events of all kinds.
FOG FORCES REROUTING OF SOME PUGLIA FLIGHTS
DEC. 21 ‒ BARI, ITALY ‒ Airport officials at Bari-Palese and Brindisi reported today that
poor visibility due to fog is causing some commercial airline flights to be diverted to other
airports. Some flights out of Bari-Palese and Brindisi have been delayed.
BODIES OF AMERICAN BALLOONISTS RECOVERED OFF VIESTE
DEC. 6 ‒ VIESTE, ITALY ‒ The bodies of two American balloonists missing since Sept. 29
have been recovered in the Adriatic Sea off the coastal resort of Vieste. The newspaper
La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno (www.lagazzettadelmezzogiorno.it) reports the bodies were
found 12 miles off the coast in their balloon’s gondola by the crew of a Manfredonia-based
fishing boat. The balloonists, Richard Abruzzo and Carol Rymer Davis, were taking part in
the “Gordon Bennett” international balloon race and had departed Bristol, England, on
Sept. 25. They radioed that their balloon was plunging off the coast of Vieste just before
they disappeared from radar. They were the subject of an intense search operation that
involved numerous Italian Coast Guard, police and Guardia di Finanza vessels, along with
Coast Guard, Fire Brigade, Guardia di Finanza, Air Force and U.S. military aircraft. The
search was called off on Oct. 4 when authorities determined there was no hope the
balloonists would be found alive. It is thought the balloon may have been struck by
lightning before it fell into the sea at a rapid rate of speed.
14 BLUE FLAGS FOR PUGLIA’S BEACHES
MAY 12 ‒ COPENHAGEN, DENMARK ‒ The International Blue Flag Jury has just
announced its 2010 Blue Flag awards for beaches in Europe, Morocco, Tunisia and
Canada. The International Jury decided to award the Blue Flag to 2,884 beaches and 627
marinas in 33 countries. The Blue Flag award is based on environmental education and
information; water quality; environmental management; and safety and services. The Blue
Flag is awarded only for one season at a time.
The new list includes 14 beaches in Puglia:
Castellaneta ‒ Castellaneta Marina
Castro ‒ Grotta Zinzulusa
Castro ‒ La Sorgente
Ginosa ‒ Lido
Ostuni ‒ Camerini Creta Rossa
Ostuni ‒ Costa Merlata Torre Pozzelle
Ostuni ‒ Lido Morelli Rosa Marina
Polignano a Mare ‒ Cala Fetente
Polignano a Mare ‒ Cala San Giovanni
Rodi Garganico ‒ Spiaggia di Levante
Rodi Garganico ‒ Spiaggia di Ponente
Salve ‒ Marina di Pescoluse
Salve ‒ Posto Vecchio
Salve ‒ Torre Pali
For more information, see http://www.blueflag.org/.
FIVE PUGLIA HOTELS FEATURED IN EXPEDIA’S
2010 INSIDERS’ SELECT RANKINGS
MAY 4, 2010 ‒ BELLEVUE, Wash., May 4, 2010 – The online travel agency Expedia.com
today unveiled the Expedia 2010 Insiders’ Select results, an annual ranking of the world’s
best hotels for quality and value as determined mostly by traveler reviews. Hotels that
routinely exceed customer expectations – in their customer service, amenities, competitive
pricing and more – see that emphasis reflected in their rankings. And this year, for the
first time, Insiders’ Select hotels are searchable during the booking process on Expedia.
com, making it simple for travelers to maximize the value of their travel dollars.
Five properties in Puglia made the 2010 list. They are listed by rank, name, score (out of
a possible 100), location and quality rating:
61. Risorgimento Resort (99.8), Lecce, 5 stars
1,110. Hotel Sierra Silvana (94.9), Selva di Fasano, 4 stars
1,524. Nicotel Barletta (93), Barletta, 4 stars
1,805. Tenuta Cocevola (91.7), Andria, 4 stars
1,821. Hotel Citta’ Bianca (91.6), Ostuni, 3 stars
The Insiders’ Select program, which debuted in 2007, ranks the top hotels from among
more than 123,000 properties offered on Expedia sites internationally. The list is compiled
using a mathematical formula that weighs three factors:
• More than one million traveler opinions from reviews submitted by Expedia customers
after completing a stay at a hotel booked on Expedia sites. Traveler reviews are the most
influential factor in the formula.
• A value rating that compares each property’s average daily rates to similar properties to
assess the relative value the hotel offers, making it easy for travelers to identify hotels
that deliver an excellent experience at a comparatively good value.
• The expertise of more than 400 Expedia market managers in cities across the globe,
who work hand in hand with Expedia’s hotel partners to maximize the value they get from
Expedia’s global online travel marketplace.
“Expedia.com travelers are among the most passionate in the world,” said John Morrey,
vice president of e-commerce at Expedia Inc. “Every year, we help them book millions
upon millions of hotel rooms, in every corner of the world. And in return, they help us
pinpoint the hotels that deliver a truly world-class experience. Traveler reviews are a
crucial part of the research and booking process for our travelers. We vet each review
carefully to confirm that the author actually stayed at the hotel. Then we gather up more
than a million of them, tabulate them and share the results with everyone.”
The 2010 list includes properties in 1,022 cities worldwide. Forty percent of Insiders’
Select hotels are in Europe, 30 percent are in the United States and 30 percent are
elsewhere in the world. The top ranking went to the Galaxy Iraklio Hotel on Crete.
Risorgimento Resort received the top score in Italy. For more information on Insiders’
Select, visit http://www.expedia.com/insidersselect.
PUGLIA SAYS “NO” TO OIL DRILLING OFF TREMITI ISLANDS
APRIL 28, 2010 ‒ As UNESCO weighs declaring the Tremiti Islands, a major tourism site
off Puglia’s Gargano promontory, a protected World Heritage Site, regional and local
officials as well as tourism organizations and environmentalists are banding together to
oppose any plans to drill for oil there, La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno (http://www.
lagazzettadelmezzogiorno.it/) reports. Reportedly, the Ministry of Environment has decided
to let an Irish company explore “the seabed off the coast of Gargano (to determine)
whether or not there are conditions for installing wells,” La Gazzetta reports. One official
told the newspaper, “the people of Tremiti, the province of Foggia and the Region of
Puglia will oppose with all their strength to the idea of drilling.”
It would be a shame to give an oil company drilling rights to what La Gazzetta describes as
“one of the most important environmental assets of Puglia.” The islands also are among
Puglia’s richest tourism assets and their economy is 100% tourism based. Yes, Puglia’s
economy could use the boost that oil drilling could potentially generate, but not at the
expense of ruining one of Puglia’s most significant natural resources.
PUGLIA & OECD: WE WILL COLLABORATE
TO IMPROVE TOURISM EXPERIENCE
(ANSA) ‒ BARI, NOVEMBER 13 ‒ The Organization of Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD) will give the instructions and the reference points for training,
competence and human capital as a part of the monitoring of the policies, programs and
actions for the councillorship of tourism for the region of Puglia, announced the director of
entrepreneurs and SMEs (small and medium enterprises) of the organization, Sergio
Arzeni, who in recent days met with journalists together with the regional councillor for
tourism, Magda Terrevoli.
The monitoring, Arzeni explained, is a part of the “clear mandate set up by the OECD:
promoting green growth and jobs connected to that growth. These are the priorities of the
organization and in this context tourism plays an important role especially in this period of
crisis.” For Arzeni, “tourism and all that is connected to it is one of the primary activities
linked to the creation of jobs in the world. We are also in a moment of severe crisis on the
employment front and tourism can make an important contribution in creating more
sustainable work.” The collaboration that has started with the Region of Puglia, the
director of the OECD specified, “is the first of its kind with a region of southern Italy.”
“Tourism is not only connected to the environment, but is also a service industry, and the
quality of the services makes all the difference,” Arzeni stated. “For this reason,
innovation is important and must be applied to the quality of the services and human
capital.” Speaking of governance, Arzeni explained that “the councillor for tourism mustn’t
only promote the territory, but also have an integrated approach and look to the quality of
life that also serves to attract and keep talent.”
For Terrevoli, “the idea of sustainable tourism is that of good tourism for those who live in
the locales as well, not only for those who come to visit as tourists. There is a moment
when simple promotion of the territory is no longer enough, because the territory must be
kept beautiful and inspiring in the same way that it has been sold. Otherwise, the tourist
who has a bad experience becomes a closed door for Puglia.”
Arzeni concluded, “Puglia has had great successes, but it is threatened by the emergence
of new competitors: on the other side of the Adriatic there was no market for tourism 20
years ago, while today there are major investments. One must be up to the challenge.” (©
ANSA)
COUNCILLOR TERREVOLI PRESENTS PUGLIA
AT WORLD TRAVEL MARKET
(ANSA) ‒ BARI, NOVEMBER 13 ‒ “We are participating in this important expo for the
global sector of tourism, in a market that is so important for our region, to export and
promote the ‘Puglia brand’ and Italy on the international markets,” said the tourism
councillor of the Region of Puglia, Magda Terrevoli.
Terrevoli made her remark from London during the opening of the World Travel Market
(WTM), the global tourism event. Terrevoli was there to promote tourism in Puglia
together with Italian Tourism Minister Vittoria Brambilla.
“Incoming flows from the U.K. to our region reached around 18% in 2008, fluctuating
between second and third place in the ranking of foreign states that choose Puglia,”
Terrevoli added. “During 2009, 20% of tour operators have sold the product ‘Puglia,’
confirming the incoming of the previous year. The British market is recording very good
results on the portal viaggiareinpuglia.it as well. In fact, in September of this year 62.76%
more people visited the site than in the same period in 2008,” the councilor concluded. (©
ANSA)
BARI 2020 OLYMPICS BID QUASHED
(ANSA) ‒ ROME, NOVEMBER 11 ‒ The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) has formally
quashed Bari’s hopes of bidding for the 2020 Olympics, confirming Rome and Venice as
the contestants to become Italy's bidder.
In a letter to Mayor Michele Emiliano, CONI chief Gianni Petrucci said Bari did not have the
requisites to mount a bid. Bari is the capital of the Region of Puglia. He pointed out that
CONI had already tried to make this clear last month when it ruled out Palermo, Sicily.
Despite this, Emiliano wrote to CONI earlier this week confirming the southeastern city
wanted to launch a bid. In his letter back, Petrucci said “the mere intention of organizing
the Games” was not enough and any application had to be made according to the
“essential, basic conditions laid down by the International Olympic Committee and the
Olympic Charter.” When he dismissed Palermo’s chances, Petrucci said “'Rome and
Venice are the only serious bidders, all the rest is just so much talk.”
Rome’s conservative mayor, Gianni Alemanno, said one of his center-left predecessors,
Francesco Rutelli, had come on board to help the Italian capital’s bid. Alemanno, a
member of Premier Silvio Berlusconi’s People of Freedom party, said Rutelli, who ran
Rome from 1993 to 2001, could bring “priceless experience” to the effort since he had led
Rome's bid in the late ’90s for the 2004 Olympics.
On that occasion, Rome was narrowly beaten by Athens. Rome and Venice immediately
come forward after the 2016 Games were awarded to Rio de Janeiro on October 2, saying
they would like to host the following edition. Bari and Palermo then expressed the same
ambition, along with Milan, which has since withdrawn its bid.
Petrucci's blast on October 28 came a few days after one of Italy’s most prestigious sports
officials, International Olympic Committee (IOC) Vice President Mario Pescante, said he
was pessimistic that Italy could stage a credible bid for the 2020 Games. “We’re getting to
the point where it’s beyond a joke. Bids are being made just out of local pride, just to get
people talking. We’re our own worst enemies,” said Pescante, a former Italian sports
minister.
Pescante stressed the importance of Italy quickly establishing which could the best bidder
so that the whole country could support it. “Once we’ve decided on the candidate we have
to get solidly behind it,” he said.But according to the IOC official, any Italian bidder is “not
favorite” in a race which could feature Brisbane, Prague, Copenhagen, Budapest, Delhi,
Mumbai, Mexico City, Auckland, Warsaw, Cape Town, St Petersburg, Taipei, Detroit,
Philadelphia and St. Paul/Minneapolis.
Bids must be presented by the end of 2011 and the winner will be announced in 2013.
Rome hosted the Games in 1960; Venice has never staged a major international sporting
event. (© ANSA)
ARCHAEOLOGY: NEW MOSAIC DISCOVERED
IN CANOSA DI PUGLIA
(ANSA) ‒ CANOSA DI PUGLIA (BARLETTA-ANDRIA-TRANI), OCTOBER 30 ‒ A mosaic
showing the figures of two animals was discovered in the Basilica of Santa Maria in
Canosa di Puglia, a town that is rich in early Christian complexes ordered by the Bishop
Sabino in the sixth century AD, the town administration reported.
Experts claim it is a rare example of the decorative art, created with small pieces of
orange, dark red and blue, in limestone, pebbles and glass paste. It is the representation
of two deer which drink from a “kantharos” (a cup for libations).
The mosaic was uncovered during the excavations that some 30 scholars from the
University of Foggia are carrying out in the area of San Giovanni al Piano. “It is an
important discovery because the iconography of the two animals has never been seen
before in Puglia and is very rare in other early Christian complexes in southern Italy,” said
the chancellor of the university and director of the excavation, Giuliano Volpe.
The mosaic was found in the basilica of Santa Maria, the oldest cathedral built in Canosa
and one of the first in all of Puglia. The excavation is led by Professors Roberta Giuliani
and Danilo Leone and is being executed in collaboration with the Region of Puglia’s
Superintendence of Archaeological Heritage Office, with the township of Canosa and with
the Canosina Archaeological Foundation. (© ANSA)
DEC. 5, 2011 – Get to know Puglia through its local cuisine. VBT Bicycling and Walking
Vacations announces a culinary vacation in Puglia, continuing a tradition of providing
discovery-filled vacations at unsurpassed value. Travelers will have the opportunity to visit
family-run food shops, take in special cooking classes, indulge in home-cooked meals,
and complement those highlights with a breadth of local wine and other beverages.
VBT’s 2012 culinary vacation draws on the tenants of the local food movement and follows
the success of their very popular culinary vacations in 2011. The tour will be led by a local
expert Trip Leader who will provide insider tips, unique discovery opportunities and a
perspective that only someone from the region can provide.
On the April 9, 2012, culinary vacation to “Puglia: Italy’s Undiscovered Coast,” travelers
will experience the freshest seafood and local, wild vegetables while cycling along Italy’s
Adriatic Coast. The trip will include exploration of olive groves, samplings of local wines,
and a chance to throw a few pizzas with a master pizzaiolo.
The tour has limited space, only 14-20 travelers.
Founded in 1971 by a Middlebury College professor, VBT Bicycling and Walking
Vacations is celebrating its 40th Anniversary this year. The company offers 39 deluxe,
small group bicycling and walking tours in 26 countries worldwide, including destinations in
Europe, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Vietnam, Peru, Argentina and the U.S.A. Each trip
includes all accommodations, many meals, two expert local Trip Leaders, unique
sightseeing and cultural activities, and full vehicle support. Unlike other companies, VBT
also includes international airfare and air fuel surcharges in its trip cost.
Contact VBT at www.vbt.com.
NEW PRESIDENT FOR BRINDISI HOTEL FEDERATION
DEC. 4 – BRINDISI, ITALY – A veteran tourism and hotel industry executive has been
elected president of Federalberghi Brindisi, the Brindisi hotel federation. He is Pierangelo
Argentieri, director of Tenuta Moreno, a resort property in Mesagne, and the Palazzo
Virgilio Hotel, the former Hotel Majestic on Corso Umberto I near the Brindisi train station.
Argentieri previously was vice president of the hotel association.
Argentieri told La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno that he is aware of “the economic difficulties
that our industry is experiencing because of the instability and then national and
international responsibilities to which we encounter…We must be able to respond as fast
and practical needs of colleagues and the industry and immediately open a discussion
table with all the institutional actors involved in the various institutions involved and of
tourism.”
COMING SOON: “PUGLIA EVENTS”
APRIL 23 – BARI, ITALY – “Puglia Events,” a website designed to enhance the region’s
visibility among residents and visitors alike and promote events throughout Puglia, has
debuted in the Italian language and soon will be available in English. The newspaper La
Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno (www.lagazzettadelmezzogiorno.it) reports that the portal (www.
pugliaevents.it) will focus attention on cultural productions and performances that take
place in Puglia and showcases events and activities in cinema, music, theater, dance,
business and trade shows, sports and the environment, food and wine, tradition,
entertainment, art and culture. Created with international visitors in mind, it will feature a
platform that is accessible via the web and mobile devices.
The President of the Region of Puglia, Nichi Vendola, told the newspaper, “Puglia Events
is yet another demonstration of how to build and develop an integrated system capable of
giving a structure and network projects. We have accomplished a historic transition:
before 2005, Puglia was almost invisible in the eyes of the world, but today we came from
pre-history where we were. We are now competitive with the most advanced systems in
Europe.”
Puglia Events will integrate with the travel portal Viaggiareinpuglia.it for mapping Puglia
tourist attractions and cultural events of all kinds.
FOG FORCES REROUTING OF SOME PUGLIA FLIGHTS
DEC. 21 ‒ BARI, ITALY ‒ Airport officials at Bari-Palese and Brindisi reported today that
poor visibility due to fog is causing some commercial airline flights to be diverted to other
airports. Some flights out of Bari-Palese and Brindisi have been delayed.
BODIES OF AMERICAN BALLOONISTS RECOVERED OFF VIESTE
DEC. 6 ‒ VIESTE, ITALY ‒ The bodies of two American balloonists missing since Sept. 29
have been recovered in the Adriatic Sea off the coastal resort of Vieste. The newspaper
La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno (www.lagazzettadelmezzogiorno.it) reports the bodies were
found 12 miles off the coast in their balloon’s gondola by the crew of a Manfredonia-based
fishing boat. The balloonists, Richard Abruzzo and Carol Rymer Davis, were taking part in
the “Gordon Bennett” international balloon race and had departed Bristol, England, on
Sept. 25. They radioed that their balloon was plunging off the coast of Vieste just before
they disappeared from radar. They were the subject of an intense search operation that
involved numerous Italian Coast Guard, police and Guardia di Finanza vessels, along with
Coast Guard, Fire Brigade, Guardia di Finanza, Air Force and U.S. military aircraft. The
search was called off on Oct. 4 when authorities determined there was no hope the
balloonists would be found alive. It is thought the balloon may have been struck by
lightning before it fell into the sea at a rapid rate of speed.
14 BLUE FLAGS FOR PUGLIA’S BEACHES
MAY 12 ‒ COPENHAGEN, DENMARK ‒ The International Blue Flag Jury has just
announced its 2010 Blue Flag awards for beaches in Europe, Morocco, Tunisia and
Canada. The International Jury decided to award the Blue Flag to 2,884 beaches and 627
marinas in 33 countries. The Blue Flag award is based on environmental education and
information; water quality; environmental management; and safety and services. The Blue
Flag is awarded only for one season at a time.
The new list includes 14 beaches in Puglia:
Castellaneta ‒ Castellaneta Marina
Castro ‒ Grotta Zinzulusa
Castro ‒ La Sorgente
Ginosa ‒ Lido
Ostuni ‒ Camerini Creta Rossa
Ostuni ‒ Costa Merlata Torre Pozzelle
Ostuni ‒ Lido Morelli Rosa Marina
Polignano a Mare ‒ Cala Fetente
Polignano a Mare ‒ Cala San Giovanni
Rodi Garganico ‒ Spiaggia di Levante
Rodi Garganico ‒ Spiaggia di Ponente
Salve ‒ Marina di Pescoluse
Salve ‒ Posto Vecchio
Salve ‒ Torre Pali
For more information, see http://www.blueflag.org/.
FIVE PUGLIA HOTELS FEATURED IN EXPEDIA’S
2010 INSIDERS’ SELECT RANKINGS
MAY 4, 2010 ‒ BELLEVUE, Wash., May 4, 2010 – The online travel agency Expedia.com
today unveiled the Expedia 2010 Insiders’ Select results, an annual ranking of the world’s
best hotels for quality and value as determined mostly by traveler reviews. Hotels that
routinely exceed customer expectations – in their customer service, amenities, competitive
pricing and more – see that emphasis reflected in their rankings. And this year, for the
first time, Insiders’ Select hotels are searchable during the booking process on Expedia.
com, making it simple for travelers to maximize the value of their travel dollars.
Five properties in Puglia made the 2010 list. They are listed by rank, name, score (out of
a possible 100), location and quality rating:
61. Risorgimento Resort (99.8), Lecce, 5 stars
1,110. Hotel Sierra Silvana (94.9), Selva di Fasano, 4 stars
1,524. Nicotel Barletta (93), Barletta, 4 stars
1,805. Tenuta Cocevola (91.7), Andria, 4 stars
1,821. Hotel Citta’ Bianca (91.6), Ostuni, 3 stars
The Insiders’ Select program, which debuted in 2007, ranks the top hotels from among
more than 123,000 properties offered on Expedia sites internationally. The list is compiled
using a mathematical formula that weighs three factors:
• More than one million traveler opinions from reviews submitted by Expedia customers
after completing a stay at a hotel booked on Expedia sites. Traveler reviews are the most
influential factor in the formula.
• A value rating that compares each property’s average daily rates to similar properties to
assess the relative value the hotel offers, making it easy for travelers to identify hotels
that deliver an excellent experience at a comparatively good value.
• The expertise of more than 400 Expedia market managers in cities across the globe,
who work hand in hand with Expedia’s hotel partners to maximize the value they get from
Expedia’s global online travel marketplace.
“Expedia.com travelers are among the most passionate in the world,” said John Morrey,
vice president of e-commerce at Expedia Inc. “Every year, we help them book millions
upon millions of hotel rooms, in every corner of the world. And in return, they help us
pinpoint the hotels that deliver a truly world-class experience. Traveler reviews are a
crucial part of the research and booking process for our travelers. We vet each review
carefully to confirm that the author actually stayed at the hotel. Then we gather up more
than a million of them, tabulate them and share the results with everyone.”
The 2010 list includes properties in 1,022 cities worldwide. Forty percent of Insiders’
Select hotels are in Europe, 30 percent are in the United States and 30 percent are
elsewhere in the world. The top ranking went to the Galaxy Iraklio Hotel on Crete.
Risorgimento Resort received the top score in Italy. For more information on Insiders’
Select, visit http://www.expedia.com/insidersselect.
PUGLIA SAYS “NO” TO OIL DRILLING OFF TREMITI ISLANDS
APRIL 28, 2010 ‒ As UNESCO weighs declaring the Tremiti Islands, a major tourism site
off Puglia’s Gargano promontory, a protected World Heritage Site, regional and local
officials as well as tourism organizations and environmentalists are banding together to
oppose any plans to drill for oil there, La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno (http://www.
lagazzettadelmezzogiorno.it/) reports. Reportedly, the Ministry of Environment has decided
to let an Irish company explore “the seabed off the coast of Gargano (to determine)
whether or not there are conditions for installing wells,” La Gazzetta reports. One official
told the newspaper, “the people of Tremiti, the province of Foggia and the Region of
Puglia will oppose with all their strength to the idea of drilling.”
It would be a shame to give an oil company drilling rights to what La Gazzetta describes as
“one of the most important environmental assets of Puglia.” The islands also are among
Puglia’s richest tourism assets and their economy is 100% tourism based. Yes, Puglia’s
economy could use the boost that oil drilling could potentially generate, but not at the
expense of ruining one of Puglia’s most significant natural resources.
PUGLIA & OECD: WE WILL COLLABORATE
TO IMPROVE TOURISM EXPERIENCE
(ANSA) ‒ BARI, NOVEMBER 13 ‒ The Organization of Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD) will give the instructions and the reference points for training,
competence and human capital as a part of the monitoring of the policies, programs and
actions for the councillorship of tourism for the region of Puglia, announced the director of
entrepreneurs and SMEs (small and medium enterprises) of the organization, Sergio
Arzeni, who in recent days met with journalists together with the regional councillor for
tourism, Magda Terrevoli.
The monitoring, Arzeni explained, is a part of the “clear mandate set up by the OECD:
promoting green growth and jobs connected to that growth. These are the priorities of the
organization and in this context tourism plays an important role especially in this period of
crisis.” For Arzeni, “tourism and all that is connected to it is one of the primary activities
linked to the creation of jobs in the world. We are also in a moment of severe crisis on the
employment front and tourism can make an important contribution in creating more
sustainable work.” The collaboration that has started with the Region of Puglia, the
director of the OECD specified, “is the first of its kind with a region of southern Italy.”
“Tourism is not only connected to the environment, but is also a service industry, and the
quality of the services makes all the difference,” Arzeni stated. “For this reason,
innovation is important and must be applied to the quality of the services and human
capital.” Speaking of governance, Arzeni explained that “the councillor for tourism mustn’t
only promote the territory, but also have an integrated approach and look to the quality of
life that also serves to attract and keep talent.”
For Terrevoli, “the idea of sustainable tourism is that of good tourism for those who live in
the locales as well, not only for those who come to visit as tourists. There is a moment
when simple promotion of the territory is no longer enough, because the territory must be
kept beautiful and inspiring in the same way that it has been sold. Otherwise, the tourist
who has a bad experience becomes a closed door for Puglia.”
Arzeni concluded, “Puglia has had great successes, but it is threatened by the emergence
of new competitors: on the other side of the Adriatic there was no market for tourism 20
years ago, while today there are major investments. One must be up to the challenge.” (©
ANSA)
COUNCILLOR TERREVOLI PRESENTS PUGLIA
AT WORLD TRAVEL MARKET
(ANSA) ‒ BARI, NOVEMBER 13 ‒ “We are participating in this important expo for the
global sector of tourism, in a market that is so important for our region, to export and
promote the ‘Puglia brand’ and Italy on the international markets,” said the tourism
councillor of the Region of Puglia, Magda Terrevoli.
Terrevoli made her remark from London during the opening of the World Travel Market
(WTM), the global tourism event. Terrevoli was there to promote tourism in Puglia
together with Italian Tourism Minister Vittoria Brambilla.
“Incoming flows from the U.K. to our region reached around 18% in 2008, fluctuating
between second and third place in the ranking of foreign states that choose Puglia,”
Terrevoli added. “During 2009, 20% of tour operators have sold the product ‘Puglia,’
confirming the incoming of the previous year. The British market is recording very good
results on the portal viaggiareinpuglia.it as well. In fact, in September of this year 62.76%
more people visited the site than in the same period in 2008,” the councilor concluded. (©
ANSA)
BARI 2020 OLYMPICS BID QUASHED
(ANSA) ‒ ROME, NOVEMBER 11 ‒ The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) has formally
quashed Bari’s hopes of bidding for the 2020 Olympics, confirming Rome and Venice as
the contestants to become Italy's bidder.
In a letter to Mayor Michele Emiliano, CONI chief Gianni Petrucci said Bari did not have the
requisites to mount a bid. Bari is the capital of the Region of Puglia. He pointed out that
CONI had already tried to make this clear last month when it ruled out Palermo, Sicily.
Despite this, Emiliano wrote to CONI earlier this week confirming the southeastern city
wanted to launch a bid. In his letter back, Petrucci said “the mere intention of organizing
the Games” was not enough and any application had to be made according to the
“essential, basic conditions laid down by the International Olympic Committee and the
Olympic Charter.” When he dismissed Palermo’s chances, Petrucci said “'Rome and
Venice are the only serious bidders, all the rest is just so much talk.”
Rome’s conservative mayor, Gianni Alemanno, said one of his center-left predecessors,
Francesco Rutelli, had come on board to help the Italian capital’s bid. Alemanno, a
member of Premier Silvio Berlusconi’s People of Freedom party, said Rutelli, who ran
Rome from 1993 to 2001, could bring “priceless experience” to the effort since he had led
Rome's bid in the late ’90s for the 2004 Olympics.
On that occasion, Rome was narrowly beaten by Athens. Rome and Venice immediately
come forward after the 2016 Games were awarded to Rio de Janeiro on October 2, saying
they would like to host the following edition. Bari and Palermo then expressed the same
ambition, along with Milan, which has since withdrawn its bid.
Petrucci's blast on October 28 came a few days after one of Italy’s most prestigious sports
officials, International Olympic Committee (IOC) Vice President Mario Pescante, said he
was pessimistic that Italy could stage a credible bid for the 2020 Games. “We’re getting to
the point where it’s beyond a joke. Bids are being made just out of local pride, just to get
people talking. We’re our own worst enemies,” said Pescante, a former Italian sports
minister.
Pescante stressed the importance of Italy quickly establishing which could the best bidder
so that the whole country could support it. “Once we’ve decided on the candidate we have
to get solidly behind it,” he said.But according to the IOC official, any Italian bidder is “not
favorite” in a race which could feature Brisbane, Prague, Copenhagen, Budapest, Delhi,
Mumbai, Mexico City, Auckland, Warsaw, Cape Town, St Petersburg, Taipei, Detroit,
Philadelphia and St. Paul/Minneapolis.
Bids must be presented by the end of 2011 and the winner will be announced in 2013.
Rome hosted the Games in 1960; Venice has never staged a major international sporting
event. (© ANSA)
ARCHAEOLOGY: NEW MOSAIC DISCOVERED
IN CANOSA DI PUGLIA
(ANSA) ‒ CANOSA DI PUGLIA (BARLETTA-ANDRIA-TRANI), OCTOBER 30 ‒ A mosaic
showing the figures of two animals was discovered in the Basilica of Santa Maria in
Canosa di Puglia, a town that is rich in early Christian complexes ordered by the Bishop
Sabino in the sixth century AD, the town administration reported.
Experts claim it is a rare example of the decorative art, created with small pieces of
orange, dark red and blue, in limestone, pebbles and glass paste. It is the representation
of two deer which drink from a “kantharos” (a cup for libations).
The mosaic was uncovered during the excavations that some 30 scholars from the
University of Foggia are carrying out in the area of San Giovanni al Piano. “It is an
important discovery because the iconography of the two animals has never been seen
before in Puglia and is very rare in other early Christian complexes in southern Italy,” said
the chancellor of the university and director of the excavation, Giuliano Volpe.
The mosaic was found in the basilica of Santa Maria, the oldest cathedral built in Canosa
and one of the first in all of Puglia. The excavation is led by Professors Roberta Giuliani
and Danilo Leone and is being executed in collaboration with the Region of Puglia’s
Superintendence of Archaeological Heritage Office, with the township of Canosa and with
the Canosina Archaeological Foundation. (© ANSA)
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